RICHMOND, Va. – While Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told reporters Friday that he had not yet seen former President Donald Trump’s message about him, he added that he does “not call people names.”
“Young Kin (now that’s an interesting take. Sound Chineses doesn’t it?) in Virginia couldn’t have won without me,” Trump posted on his new social media platform.
Virginia Democrats called Trump’s comments racist and disgusting. Some Virginia Republicans are backing away from him after midterm elections that were anything but the overwhelming win the GOP expected.
“That's not the way I roll and not the way I behave… This is a moment for us to come together as a nation,” Youngkin said. “We still have some elections outstanding that haven't been finalized, and we've got to find a way to now step forward.”
The tiff between Virginia Republicans likely began Thursday night when Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears appeared on Fox News and said Republicans need to move on from Trump.
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Virginia Beach Del. Tim Anderson said that every time Trump is on the ballot in the Commonwealth, he brings down Republicans.
“We want to win in Virginia. We've got to get behind Glenn Youngkin type of personalities and not Donald Trump-type of personalities,” Anderson explained. “And at the end of the day, all I care about is growing our conservative majority and being able to make good policy in Virginia that advances conservative ideas.”
State Sen. Amanda Chase from Chesterfield, who is an ardent backer of the former president, called comments by the lieutenant governor and Del. Anderson “divisive.”
“If you have a concern with a fellow legislator or elected official, pick up the phone and call, work out those differences and opinions behind closed doors,” Chase advised.
Additionally, Chase said that Trump has a “great sense of humor” that “not everybody gets” or understands.
Next week the former president will reportedly announce his third run for the presidency.
Youngkin is seen by many in the GOP as a potential rival for the nomination.
“As I said, I don't call people names," Youngkin said. "I'm about trying to bring people together at a time where we need to come together and march forward in order to accomplish a lot."
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